If it wasn't for City...... | Sorry, definitely not a thread about City

Is this not the weakest, lamest excuse ever uttered by a bunch of football fans?

It's repeated here on a near constant basis and had me thinking has this line of reasoning happened before?

When Blackburn started chucking money around and won the league did we bemoan our bad luck? If it wasn't for Blackburn we'd have won the league after all!!

Same goes when Arsenal won the league with that unbeaten run. If only they didn't exist that season. During Mourinho's first stint at Chesea did United fans shrug their shoulders and blame circumstances?

The three clubs mentioned all raised the bar relative to their time but I remember our response, within the club and fan base, being one of self reflection. A club had moved past us and we needed to up our game. It wasn't out of our hands, we had the resources to respond and did just that. We didn't use Blackburn or Chelsea as the excuse to wipe away our own shortcomings. Fergie simply upped his game, made sure his signings were spot on and it all came back.

Is that how everyone else remembers it or did we react as many do today?

This isn't a thread to discuss City. Nor is it a demand to be top. Clearing that up now before the drama queens start their fiction.

I've said this in a previous thread but I'll repeat myself here. City cannot do what they're currently doing and not expect an almighty response from the likes of United and Chelsea. I'm predicting an English Champions League winner in the next 4 seasons (including this one).

I've said this in a previous thread but I'll repeat myself here. City cannot do what they're currently doing and not expect an almighty response from the likes of United and Chelsea. I'm predicting an English Champions League winner in the next 4 seasons (including this one).

Forget City. We need to concentrate getting back to the top where we belong. There is improvement, the table don't lie but we need to keep improving and bring in the best. 2 little magicians up front is what we need.

The only difference is there was less internet back then. People have always moaned about stuff and rightly so. Moaning is awesome.

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True and I love a moan.

However when Blackburn won the league we accepted we'd come up short, got a littlr complacent. Fergie made radical changes the next summer and the title came back. That's how I remember it anyway. I don't rememer us blaming Jack Walkers money.

Is this not the weakest, lamest excuse ever uttered by a bunch of football fans?

It's repeated here on a near constant basis and had me thinking has this line of reasoning happened before?

When Blackburn started chucking money around and won the league did we bemoan our bad luck? If it wasn't for Blackburn we'd have won the league after all!!

Same goes when Arsenal won the league with that unbeaten run. If only they didn't exist that season. During Mourinho's first stint at Chesea did United fans shrug their shoulders and blame circumstances?

The three clubs mentioned all raised the bar relative to their time but I remember our response, within the club and fan base, being one of self reflection. A club had moved past us and we needed to up our game. It wasn't out of our hands, we had the resources to respond and did just that. We didn't use Blackburn or Chelsea as the excuse to wipe away our own shortcomings. Fergie simply upped his game, made sure his signings were spot on and it all came back.

Is that how everyone else remembers it or did we react as many do today?

This isn't a thread to discuss City. Nor is it a demand to be top. Clearing that up now before the drama queens start their fiction.

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Yea we did, because Walker set out to buy the league and thats exactly what he did, its what their premier league title will always be remebered for:

They were a nothing club financed buy a man capable of virtually unchallengeable spending power.

Just like City and Chelsea they caused a massive escalation in transfer fees and wages that proved to be detrimental to the game as a whole.

With Arsenals unbeaten run, they set about how they were going to play that season from the very start, a Robert Pires dive which would have seen him banned today secured a point from a match they didnt look like winning:

They benefited from some incredibly inept refereeing, no doubt to create “theatre”and “spectacle” in the league with a London glamour club and fancy european manager going the whole season unbeaten playing football the “right way” when in fact had they not had the bemefit of some creative officiating they wouldnt have come close.

And boy, did we fecking complain about it, it was a running joke that the other teams might as well not bother turning up as the match will be handed to Arsenal.

Chelsea went from being a competitive team on the verge of bankruptcy, spending well above their means, to a premier league powerhouse, capable of securing any player they wanted, at any price, for any wages.
Capable of massively increasing their squad scope, depth and quakity with limitless spending.

It was all anyone could talk about, Jose was a “breath of fresh air” as his chelsea juggernaut rolled over all comers, powered by a resources that the club hadnt earned and could never repay.

Money clubs are a cancer in any league, clubs that are not accountable for their spending and can spend with no restraints are not “lucky” not “the best teams ever” they are created by financial doping and have no place in a competative environment.

They were a nothing club financed buy a man capable of virtually unchallengeable spending power.

Just like City and Chelsea they caused a massive escalation in transfer fees and wages that proved to be detrimental to the game as a whole.

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Yeah that's a description of what Blackburn did but do you remember our response? That's the question. The following summer we sold Ince, Hughes and Kachelskis and ushered in a new era after a little spell of complacency.

It's because City have warped the perception of our progress.
We've gone from 6th to matching the points haul of great teams from the past, that's fantastic progress and it's all that should really matter.
This forum only thinks we know what long term planning is, they gave Jose incredible stick over it last summer but the meltdown on here because we're not matching 17 wins out of 18..

Yeah that's a description of what Blackburn did but do you remember our response? That's the question. The following summer we sold Ince, Hughes and Kachelskis and ushered in a new era after a little spell of complacency.

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Now who is saying we won't do that just because couple of posters used that phrase on online forum? We didn't win league for 3 years when Roman took over, did we write off manager and the team when Chelsea won the first time and second time?

Like few have already said, few used that phrase to put some perspective on the progress we have made this season. It's not as a resignation that we will never win the league again.

Forget City. We need to concentrate getting back to the top where we belong. There is improvement, the table don't lie but we need to keep improving and bring in the best. 2 little magicians up front is what we need.

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That's exactly what I said. Be honest, did you read the full post or just the title?

Now who is saying we won't do that just because couple of posters used that phrase on online forum? We didn't win league for 3 years when Roman took over, did we write off manager and the team when Chelsea won the first time and second time?

Like few have already said, few used that phrase to put some perspective on the progress we have made this season. It's not as a resignation that we will never win the league again.

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It's way, way, more than a few. It's constant. I could quote you a shitload right now.

When Chelsea usurped us I'm sure we recognise we couldn't keep starting so slowly. We also improved massively in the transfer market after a poor few years.

Fergie said publically that we'd respond to the challenge. It was all introspection as opposed to looking at others for explanations.

It's way, way, more than a few. It's constant. I could quote you a shitload right now.

When Chelsea usurped us I'm sure we recognise we couldn't keep starting so slowly. We also improved massively in the transfer market after a poor few years.

Fergie said publically that we'd respond to the challenge. It was all introspection as opposed to looking at others for explanations.

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That's what SAF did, Jose didn't use the phrase, he said he will fight till may or till the title is mathematically impossible. We don't even know what we would do next summer to address the challenge.

It's because City have warped the perception of our progress.
We've gone from 6th to matching the points haul of great teams from the past, that's fantastic progress and it's all that should really matter.
This forum only thinks we know what long term planning is, they gave Jose incredible stick over it last summer but the meltdown on here because we're not matching 17 wins out of 18..

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But Blackburn did a similar thing relative to their time. They ushered in a new era of spending we hadn't seen before. Starting signing players like Shearer who previously we'd have got.

I seriously though don't remember fans using Blackburn as an excuse. The club definitely didn't. Following that season Fergie went extreme.

That's what SAF did, Jose didn't use the phrase, he said he will fight till may or till the title is mathematically impossible. We don't even know what we would do next summer to address the challenge.

At that time what was said on the forums? Someone should dig it.

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Jose has been spot on with what he's said publically. This is more aimed at the fans. I don't remember this being the response to previous challenges that felt huge at the time.

Back then there was much more emphasis on looking at ourselves. Instead of going on about City or whoever we should recognise for example that we don't have a functioning No.10. Who wins a league by choosing the No.10 playing least badly? You can't do it.

@Dobbs
Who cares about Blackburn? We were already a fantastic side when they won the league and simply maintained our standards while they fell away.
Sir Alex didn't have any grand plans to overthrow them nor change course or panic with how he was building his side, Blackburn died a death all on their own

Jose has been spot on with what he's said publically. This is more aimed at the fans. I don't remember this being the response to previous challenges that felt huge at the time.

Back then there was much more emphasis on looking at ourselves. Instead of going on about City or whoever we should recognise for example that we don't have a functioning No.10. Who wins a league by choosing the No.10 playing least badly? You can't do it.

I'm on the "we're having a good season" side but that stat is wrong. Last season, Chelsea had 46 points, Mourinho's Chelsea from 3 seasons ago had 43 points and, in Fergie's last season, United had 43. Regardless, we'd be withing touching distance of every previous PL champion.

@Dobbs
Who cares about Blackburn? We were already a fantastic side when they won the league and simply maintained our standards while they fell away.
Sir Alex didn't have any grand plans to overthrow them nor change course or panic with how he was building his side, Blackburn died a death all on their own

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The following summer he sold three of our biggest names and brought in the class of '92. If that's not a grand plan I don't know what is. His reaction to that loss couldn't have been more marked.

@Dobbs
Kanchlskis forced a move, Ince was too big for his boots (big time charlie) while Hughes was past it.
If anything, being comfortable enough to do that should tell you how confident Sir Alex was in his side.
Llisten to every Class of 92 interview there ever was, we knew what we had coming through so equating Sir Alex faith in youth with some sort of paniced response to Blackburn doesn't ring true.